Drill pipe retriever for well derricks



April 8, 1947. o. SANDERS DRILL PIPE RETRIEVER FDR WELL DERRICKS Filed Feb. 5, 1945 map/va pip Patented Apr. 8, 194 7 Dana rma aararnvan roe DEBBICKS Odell sanders, Kermit, Ta. Application February 5, 1945, Serial No. 516,252

10 Claims.

This invention relates to well drilling derricks and it has particular reference to drill pipe retrievers and methods for such derricks.

In drilling wells, especially deep oil wells, the

derrick must of necessity 'be of considerable height. Workmen are required to be stationed in the upper part of the derrick to manipulate pipe maneuvers the pipe into a more convenient position for handling.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide apparatus to facilitate the work of retrieving pipe displaced in the manner described being an important factor in drilling'wells, the invention contributes much towards conserving time otherwise consumed in recovering displaced Another object or the invention is to provide -a simple but highly effective pipe handling apparatus consisting of a barrel and a plunger, pro- Vided with a suitable head, reciprocable therein on a plane at right anglesto the pipe risin in the derrick and actuatable by a line extending downwardly and about the cathead on the draw- .works line shaft and countered by a weight suspended under the derrick floor by a second line connected to the plunger. Operation is eiTected by the driller or attendant at the direction of the pipe handlerin the derrick and the plunger, car- 'rying pipe retaining means advances the dis placed pipe towards the handler.

The invention embraces also a. pipe centering are 01' rack which orients the dislodged pipe for engagement by the retaining means of the plunger.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has further reference to certain features of accomplishment which will become ap parent as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings where- Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of apparatus constructed according to the inven-.

tion, shown'installed in the upper portion of a, well derrick; the latter being in transverse section.

Figure 2 is a perspective'view oi" the barrel and plunger per se.

the drawing, reference conventional steel derrick, truncated at a point below the top and on a plane with the platform,

H, generally called the monkey board." The platform II is affixed securely to the braces I2v of the derrick and extends towards the center of the latter in order that an operator standing,

on the platform may be in a convenient position to manipulate an elevator or the pipe risingi'romthe floor of the derrick, far below.

sisting of a pipe. having flattened ends 15', bolted I to reinforced frame-work of tie derrick; The pipe is, which may be aptly termed an arcuate v and at the same time reduce materially the hazard attending such an operation. Moreover, time Extending from one side of the derrick to the other in front of the'platform ii is an arcuate member 14. This member" may tie-constructed of any suitable material but it is shown as conipe centering device, is so located intermediate the center of the derrickand the wall thereof opposite. the platform II, that it will catch a pipe i6 escaping the elevator or workmanand the shape of the member will cause' the pipe to come to rest at a position immediately in front of the operator on the platform ii. The clot ted lines in Figure 1 purport to show different positions of the pipe escaping the elevator. 1 It is apparent that regardless of the direction of displacement, the pipe will be caught andcen tered by the member It. Suitable braces such as 4 rods ii are provided to reinforce the members it. Not only is the-active pipe caught and centered when displaced as described but aiso any stands or sections racked in the derrick may be oriented i by the member M for convenient handling when displaced.

After being properly located by the centerins device Hi, it is necessary to move the pipe into o erative position for convenient application of the elevator bythe operator on'platform ii;- This is accomplished by the device better shown in Figures 2, 3. and 4. This device consists of a tubular body or barrel l8 which is rigidly fixed by any suitable means, such as a bracket lltothe frame of the derrick in transverse relation to the wall of the derrick opposite the platform ii,.' In

Figure 3 is a plan view oi the barrel and plunger, showing the barrel in longitudinal section, and

Figure 4 is a view intransverseseotiom'taken unlined-JonFigureS.

. Continuing with a more detailed description-of this position, the inner endof the barrel will be in alignment with the vertical axis of the pipe it centered in the derricln Any form 01 reinforc ing means, such as braces 20,.may be employed, torisldif thebarrel'w.

Slidably disposed in the we is s a plunger 2! which may also be of tubular stock and amxed to this plunger adjacent its rearrnost end are diametrically opposed 'eyes 22. These eyes extend thro longitudinal slots 28 in each side of the barrel i8 and besides providing binding points for wire lines Hand 28, these eyes limit the travel so of the plunger in'view oi the fact that the ends or the slots 23 aflord stops therefor at each limit is primarily made to Fig-s ure 1 wherein numeral l0 denotes the legs of-a'.

opposite end of the barrel to extend over sheave 29, thence downwardly andthrough the floor ii of the derrick and a weight 32is afilxed to the end of the line under the floor 3|. It is obvious then that the weight 32, in the absence of any counter force, will maintain the plunger 2| in the retracted position shown in the figures.

Acting counter to the force exerted by the weight 82 is that applied on the wire line 25, which latter is fastened to the opposite eye 22 and extends over sheave 30, thence downward to and is wound upon a cat-head, not shown, on the drawworks line shaft, which latter is conventional equipment on the derrick floor.

Mounted on the inner end oi the plunger 2| is a ibshaped head 33 and, by virtue'oi! the function of member M in centering the displaced pipe, combined with the relative position of the plunger,

7 the pipe retainer or head 33 engages the pipe and upon actuation of the plunger 2|, under direction of the operator on the platform H to an operator on the derrick floor, the displaced pipe is moved board and on a line operably extending through the monkey board and the vertical axis of the well bore, then moving the upper end of the pipe along said line by means positioned on the opposite side of the well bore from the monkey board for engagement with or disengagement from elevating devices, and remotely controlling the moving means.

3. In a. well derrick having a monkey board and having means for raising and lowering pipe in the well-bore; means for orienting a stand of pipe to a. point within the derrick at the side opposite from the monkey board; and means disposed at said point of orientation for moving the upper end of the pipe stand along a line from the point of orientation toward and from the monkey board.

4. In a derrick as set forth in claim 3, means for preventing axial rotation of said pipe moving means.

5. In a derrick as set forth in claim 3, said moving means being horizontally reciprocable; and means for preventing axial rotation of said pipe moving means.

6. In a. derrick as set forth in claim 3, said moving means being horizontally reciprocable and including a stationary member and a movable member, one of said members having a slot and the other a projection engaging the slot, and

to a position more accessible to the operator on platform II, as indicated by the broken lines in Figure 1.

It isobvious that while the member I4 is shown and described as being .U-shaped or arcuate, satisfactoryresuits may be secured by constructing means for reciprocating the movable member.

7. In a derrick as set forth in claim 3, said moving means being horizontally reciprocable and including a stationary barrel having slots in each side thereof, a plunger reciprocably mounted in the barrel, members on the plunger extending this member so that it will be angular or otherwise, so long as it will be effective to direct falling pipe to a predetermined point for reception by the retaining-head 33 of the plunger 2|. Moreover, in some if not all cases, provision may be made on the head 33 to prevent pipe from becom- 7 ing accidentallydisplaced therefrom. This may consist of confronting projections 33:; on the legs of the substantially U-shaped head, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 but omitted in the showing in Figure 1.

Inasmuch as the foregoing description of construction embraces also the independent and joint function of parts, a further description of operation is rendered unnecessary.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be 'within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of handling sections of pipe in a well derrick, which includes the steps of orienting the upper end of the pipe to a point on the opposite side of the well bore from the monkey board and on a line operably extending through the monkey board and the vertical axis of the well bore, then moving the upper end of the pipe along said line by means positioned on the opposite side of the well bore from the monkey board for engagement with or disengagement from elevating devices.

2. The method of handling sections of pipe in a well derrick, which ing the upper end of the pipe to a point on the opposite sideof the well bore from the monkey through said slots, and means engaging the members for reciprocating the plunger.

8. In a derrick as set forth in claim 3, said moving means being horizontally reciprocable and including a stationary barrel having slots in each side thereof, sheaves mounted on said barrel, a plunger reciprocably mounted in the barrel, members on theplunger extending through said slots,

- a weight supporting cable attached to one of said members and extending over a sheave on one side of said barrel, and a second cable attached to the opporite member and extending over sheaves on the opposite side of said barrel for operating said plunger.

includes the steps of orient- 9. Ina-derrick as set forth in claim 3, means operable remotely from the monkey board for actuating the pipe moving means.

10. In a well derrick having a monkey board and having means for raising and lowering pipe in the well bore; means for orienting a stand of pipe to a point within the derrick at the side opposite from the monkey board; and means disposed at said point of orientation for moving the upper end of the pipe stand along a line from the point of orientation over the well bore toward and from the monkey board.

ODELL SANDERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

